IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/jenvss/v15y2025i1d10.1007_s13412-024-00914-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Event Ethnography to study the global negotiations on the treaty to end plastic pollution: dataset from the first session of negotiations (INC-1)

Author

Listed:
  • Emily Cowan

    (SINTEF Ocean)

Abstract

Plastics and their associated chemical pollution have emerged as a global threat. This recognition materialized in March 2022 with the adoption of a groundbreaking mandate among United Nations (UN) Member States, signaling the commencement of negotiations for a comprehensive treaty aimed at ending plastic pollution, encompassing the entire lifecycle. The first session of negotiations convened at the International Negotiating Committee (INC-1) in Punta del Este, Uruguay from November 28th–December 2nd, 2022, from there, four other negotiation sessions have either convened or will, with the expected conclusion in December 2024. The current study introduces a methodology for systematically observing and documenting global agreement-making. It utilizes a dataset from the first session of negotiations to explore the event ethnography (EE) methodology for following Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA). This paper aims to inspire and guide researchers in employing EE, recognizing its efficacy in navigating the complexities of the extensive Global Plastics Treaty (GPT) negotiations and promoting collaborative efforts for a comprehensive understanding of the process. EE is a method increasingly recognised to study multilateral international negotiations within the science-policy nexus to examine emerging obstacles, trends, power dynamics, and actors (both state and non-state) in action within the negotiations. Finally, a dataset is presented from INC-1 through a practical Excel document; the article then demonstrates one example of how the dataset can be employed to enhance comprehension of the negotiators and observers influencing the GPT negotiations.

Suggested Citation

  • Emily Cowan, 2025. "Event Ethnography to study the global negotiations on the treaty to end plastic pollution: dataset from the first session of negotiations (INC-1)," Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, Springer;Association of Environmental Studies and Sciences, vol. 15(1), pages 186-193, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:15:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13412-024-00914-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s13412-024-00914-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s13412-024-00914-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s13412-024-00914-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosaleen Duffy, 2014. "Forum: What Does Collaborative Event Ethnography Tell Us About Global Environmental Governance?," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 14(3), pages 125-131, August.
    2. Justine Ammendolia & Tony R. Walker, 2022. "Global plastics treaty must be strict and binding," Nature, Nature, vol. 611(7935), pages 236-236, November.
    3. Lisa M. Campbell & Catherine Corson & Noella J. Gray & Kenneth I. MacDonald & Peter Brosius, 2014. "Introduction: Studying Global Environmental Meetings to Understand Global Environmental Governance: Collaborative Event Ethnography at the Tenth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biologic," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 14(3), pages 1-20, August.
    4. Young, Oran R., 1991. "Political leadership and regime formation: on the development of institutions in international society," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(3), pages 281-308, July.
    5. Kate O’Neill & Peter M. Haas, 2019. "Being There: International Negotiations as Study Sites in Global Environmental Politics," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 19(2), pages 4-13, May.
    6. Marcus Haward, 2018. "Plastic pollution of the world’s seas and oceans as a contemporary challenge in ocean governance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-3, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Olwig, Mette Fog, 2021. "Sustainability superheroes? For-profit narratives of “doing good” in the era of the SDGs," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    2. Scholvin, Sören, 2017. "Secondary Powers vis-à-vis South Africa: Hard Balancing, Soft Balancing, Rejection of Followership, and Disregard of Leadership," GIGA Working Papers 306, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
    3. Sandberg, Kristin Ingstad & Andresen, Steinar & Bjune, Gunnar, 2010. "A new approach to global health institutions? A case study of new vaccine introduction and the formation of the GAVI Alliance," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(7), pages 1349-1356, October.
    4. Ronald Mitchell, 2013. "Oran Young and international institutions," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, March.
    5. Agni Kalfagianni & Oran R. Young, 2022. "The politics of multilateral environmental agreements lessons from 20 years of INEA," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 245-262, June.
    6. John Peterson, 2009. "Leaderless Europe – Edited by Jack Hayward What's Wrong with the European Union and How to Fix It – By Simon Hix Europe: The State of the Union – By Anand Menon," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(5), pages 1129-1133, November.
    7. Armin Ibitz, 2015. "Towards a global scheme for carbon emissions reduction in aviation: China’s role in blocking the extension of the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme," Asia Europe Journal, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 113-130, June.
    8. Carlos Closa, 2011. "Institutional Innovation in the EU: The ‘Permanent’ Presidency of the European Council," Working Papers 1106, Instituto de Políticas y Bienes Públicos (IPP), CSIC.
    9. Joshua D. Lohnes, 2021. "Regulating surplus: charity and the legal geographies of food waste enclosure," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 38(2), pages 351-363, June.
    10. Larissa Diana Michelam & Tatiana Tucunduva Philippi Cortese & Tan Yigitcanlar & Ana Cristina Fachinelli & Leonardo Vils & Wilson Levy, 2021. "Leveraging Smart and Sustainable Development via International Events: Insights from Bento Gonçalves Knowledge Cities World Summit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, September.
    11. Charles F. Parker & Christer Karlsson, 2017. "The European Union as a global climate leader: confronting aspiration with evidence," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 17(4), pages 445-461, August.
    12. Kassim, Hussein, 2013. "A new model presidency: José Manuel Barroso's leadership of the European Commission," Discussion Papers, Schumpeter Junior Research Group Position Formation in the EU Commission SP IV 2013-502, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    13. Gregor Schwerhoff, 2016. "The economics of leadership in climate change mitigation," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 196-214, March.
    14. Adeyeye, Yemi & Hagerman, Shannon & Pelai, Ricardo, 2019. "Seeking procedural equity in global environmental governance: Indigenous participation and knowledge politics in forest and landscape restoration debates at the 2016 World Conservation Congress," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    15. Charles F. Parker & Christer Karlsson, 2010. "Climate Change and the European Union's Leadership Moment: An Inconvenient Truth?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(4), pages 923-943, September.
    16. Olav Stokke, 2013. "Regime interplay in Arctic shipping governance: explaining regional niche selection," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 65-85, March.
    17. Yasuko Kawashima, 2000. "Japan’s decision-making about climate change problems: comparative study of decisions in 1990 and in 1997," Environmental Economics and Policy Studies, Springer;Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies - SEEPS, vol. 3(1), pages 29-57, March.
    18. Xiang, C. & van Gevelt, T., 2025. "China's global leadership aspirations and domestic support for climate policy," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    19. Tobias Renner & Sander Meijerink & Pieter Zaag & Toine Smits, 2021. "Assessment framework of actor strategies in international river basin management, the case of Deltarhine," International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 255-283, June.
    20. Dong-Joon Jo & Erik Gartzke, 2007. "Determinants of Nuclear Weapons Proliferation," Journal of Conflict Resolution, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 51(1), pages 167-194, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:jenvss:v:15:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13412-024-00914-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.